How to use Water System plugin?

[1Y1aga1i (Dian)]

I watched the YouTube tutorial (’ Let’s Build the RPG! - 16 - Unreal Engine 5 Water System Beginner Tutorial - Lakes and Rivers’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMgCxZqvZ80&t=752s) and try out the Water System plugin. After enabling the plugin and restarting Unreal Engine, I searched for “Water” in the search bar with the plus icon in the box, but nothing came up. Could you let me know if there are any steps I might have missed or anything I should check to use the Water System plugin properly? I’m using UE version 5.4.4.

[BRGEzeHulton]

Hi @1Y1aga1i , Several users have reported that enabling the Water plugin in UE 5.4.4 causes the engine to crash, especially when adding water bodies to the scene. These issues are particularly prevalent in VR templates but can also occur in standard projects. The problems are related to the plugin’s compatibility with the engine’s rendering system in this version.

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Hi, although it’s stated, that Water Plugin works with 5.4 https://dev.epicgames.com/documentation/en-us/unreal-engine/water-system-in-unreal-engine, it’s not true. Opened UE 5.4.1, started New VR Game from scratch → Added Water Plugin, Water Extras, added landscape, saved, restarted. Opened the project, so far so good, added WaterBodyLake - the Engine crashes. Tried 3 times - all the same. Water Plugin isn’t functional at all. Please, correct me, or mark the Plugin as non-functonal in 5.…

I’ve got a few ideas for solutions

• Upgrade to Unreal Engine 5.5 or Later: Many of the issues present in UE 5.4.4 have been addressed in newer versions. Upgrading to UE 5.5 or later may resolve the compatibility problems with the Water plugin.​

• Use an Earlier Stable Version: If upgrading is not feasible, consider using UE 5.3.2, which has been reported to have better stability with the Water plugin.​

• Enable Necessary Plugins: Ensure that both the Water and Landmass plugins are enabled. The Landmass plugin is essential for the Water System to function correctly.

• Check Content Browser Settings: In the Content Browser, click on View Options and ensure that Show Engine Content and Show Plugin Content are checked. This will make the water assets visible and accessible

Water System in Unreal Engine | Unreal Engine 5.5 Documentation | Epic...

If you’re still facing challenges or have new questions, feel free to share

[1Y1aga1i (Dian)]

Thank you @BRGEzeHulton!

Thanks to the image of the Epic Game Developer site you attached, I was able to locate the files for the Water System plugin.
However, the bug you mentioned is a concerning issue. I tested it in my own project (UE5.4), and while the project didn’t crash, placing a Lake in the scene only resulted in a black plane with no water effect.

My project uses assets that are not compatible with UE5.5, and I’ve already built quite a bit with UE5.4, so downgrading isn’t an option. I’d like to explore alternative ways to implement water effects.

Again, I really appreciate your advice and the information you shared!